"Stop Anti-Junta Activities" Myanmar Military Government Raises Internet Fees

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The military regime behind the Myanmar coup has raised internet fees to suppress anti-junta activities.

Local media outlet The Irrawaddy reported on the 13th that "the military government recently amended related laws to increase fees for mobile phone SIM cards and internet usage."

The telecommunications industry views this as an attempt by the military regime to restrict internet access and limit the flow of information, thereby suppressing anti-junta activities.

In Myanmar, Facebook usage via mobile phones is so prevalent that Facebook is almost synonymous with the internet. It is estimated that half of the 54 million population use it.

Since the coup on February 1 last year, Myanmar citizens have organized anti-junta protests and spread various acts of civil disobedience through Facebook. The military blocked Facebook immediately after the coup for this reason.

A telecommunications company official explained, "If internet-related costs increase, online activities will decrease. This is a way to restrict internet use without blocking the internet."

In December last year, the military regime pressured telecom companies to nearly double mobile data communication fees.

A young person told The Irrawaddy, "Previously, I could watch any video on Facebook, but now I cannot. To save mobile data, I only read posts or look at photos," adding, "Recently, I have also stopped using Twitter and Instagram."

Monthly wireless internet fees are also expected to rise by more than 1.5 times. A telecom company official said, "The spyware reportedly forced on mobile operators by the military regime cannot track mobile data, so the regime may want citizens to make calls or send texts instead."

The Myanmar military, claiming the general election held in November two years ago was fraudulent, staged a coup on February 1 last year and has since used force to suppress anti-junta forces.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), which monitors local human rights conditions, 1,463 people have died due to the Myanmar military's killings since the coup.